One Night
by Alan's Only
Summary: Hermione needs a small break form the stress of her NEWTS. She finds herself in a tower having a very surreal discussion with someone she had never spoken in length too. M for some bad themes. ONE SHOT.


Yep still looking for a beta…

One night

By Alan's Only

Rated M for drug use (under eighteen or impressionable DON'T read.)

The night was cool as she walked up to a rarely used tower; it was just before her NEWTS, some of the most stressful time of her years at Hogwarts. She wanted to get the highest grades she could get in the courses she was cramming into her brain. Eight classes, 5 of them the hardest given. Her brain was scrambled with arimthmancy equations, charm's wand movement, potions timing, even the chants to change form. She just could not stand it any longer.

She came to a stop by the rope ladder that lead up to the tallest point, a slight frown creasing her lips as she took hold and felt a faint warmth to the rope. She readily needed to be away from the loud chatter in the common room, or the chattering form the twits in the other four posters. Forgoing her usual caution, she claimed the latter.

Opening the trap door released some odor for the room above; it was slightly scunky but faintly sweet. She frowned a bit deeper but she was committed to entering when she began to pull herself into the room. She squeaked just slightly as she looked over at the other figure occupying the room.

Sitting in the open window, the stone wall being low enough to sit easily without it being uncomfortable was the tall lean figure of her dourer potions professor. Almost lounging as his long legs where crooked, his lean back pressed against the side of the window, one arm slung over a bent knee the other one hanging loosely. He did not look over at the sound just merely moving his hand up lazily taking a long puff from what looked to be a rolled fag.

Coughing slightly she stood brushing some of the dust and grime from her skirt and outer robes. Once she thought it was present able she began to ramble slightly, unsure of what she was really saying; knowing she was muttering about apologies and not knowing anyone was up here.

He didn't speak to her his other hand moving up to just hold it out, as the other moved back up and took another drag, letting the thick smoke come out his rather large nose. With that single movement, her rambling ceased and she stood biting her lip slightly unsure of what to do.

"Miss Granger… You came up her for a reason much like I have…" He spoke softly, deliberately, his voice holding none of its normal spite or sarcasm, just a slow almost calm voice. "I will know talk of why you have, as you will not speak of why I have… Go a head and do what you came here for…" He did not look at her throughout his command, just watched out the window taking another slow drag.

"But… Professor… I…" She took a deep breath then faintly smiled at him, "Alright professor…" She made her way to one of the other windows reaching into her pocket. She pulled from it a slightly crushed cardboard box, and a metal lighter. With a small sigh she opened, the box withdrew a fag, and lit it.

They sat in silence for a while, both of them smoking watching slightly as the room became a bit hazy. The professor seemed to have quiet a few of the rolled fags, but the scent was all wrong. It did not smell anything like the brand she was smoking, it had a kind of stink to it, but she just could not place it. She had indulged, she had finished her first, but wanted to stay in the almost combatable silence, she was about to smoke her second one.

"Granger…. Those things will kill you…" He broke the quiet, his words only slightly slurred. He was looking at her now, his hair hiding his glimmering eyes.

"So will yours…" She laughed back a smiling tugging at her lips. "Plus I don't smoke these that much… Only when I am under a large amount of stress…" giving him another rueful smile, lighting up.

"When did you start?" He asked looking back outside, taking another deep inhale.

"Last summer... before my OWLS…" She laughed slightly again taking another drag. "So when did you?"

"I started this little outlet… about… My 6th year…" He laughed slightly, almost ruefully. It was a rusty laugh, one that seemed to crackle in his throat.

"So are you going to tell me what you rolled in those?" She asked with a slight laugh, her head felt slightly hazy. Thankfully, it was clear from all of the previous notes. She turned to take another puff the look back at him.

"Well Granger… these are not made of tobacco…" Another soft chuckle, "I found this lovely herb from a muggle… back when I was running the streets…."

That made her sputter softly a faint flush coming to her face, "Is that weed Professor?" She spoke in a somewhat loud whisper, her amber eyes wide.

"Miss Granger… that is a very dirty word… Cannabis has many good uses…" He looked at her his eyes locking with hers, "It gets rid of stress in a far less harmful way then your smoking does"

"Be that as it may Professor… Mine is far more legal…" She spoke taking another long drag a frown creasing her lips.

"Have you read the drug Laws here in the Wizarding world, Miss Granger?" He asked cocking his head; where his voice might have held its sharp sarcasm and dry wit, it seemed almost board.

"No, sir…" She murmured looking down at her chest then back out over the grounds watching as the moon beams glistened off the melting snow.

"Exactly Miss Granger… There are no laws against this in our world." His voice rattled with a smirk.

Se let out another small sound looking back at him watching his hand bring the….joint, she rattled her brain to remember what they where called, back to his mouth. Her fingers itched as she watched him, she had heard of it before, almost whispers around the school, between the seventh mugglebornes. She remembered how they used to brag about how it made them feel on their summer holidays. Where some parents were stick about everything, her parents wanted her to explore, wanted her to enjoy being young while she got the chance. They knew how it was when they where her age, wanting to break free from their own parents, it only tore them apart and they did not want that with her. She knew that smoking could cause harm, but she did not see it as a long-term habit, just until she graduated. Cannabis though… that was different… it was at lest different for her. Taking a deep breath she watched him bring it up to his lips again inhaling deeply, she stubbed out her butt, "Professor…" She started but seemed to loose her steam as her question died in her throat.

"Granger," He spoke back moving his spindly legs from the ceil. "Yes, come and I will share." He answered her unspoken question with an almost command; he put out the small end and pulled out yet another one.

Not trusting her voice she stood and walked over sitting on the other side of the window, watching as he took a puff then handed it to her. After a few tries she was able to inhale deeply then sputtered out in small coughs holding her hand to her mouth.

"Oh my, that tastes atrocious…" She shook her head holding it back out for him. However, he was right, even after the few puffs she managed to inhale it had cleared her mind almost completely already.

He gave her another raspy laugh and looked back over the grounds" Some thing is happening Miss Granger… Something we have no control over… Soon this world will see who is truly evil, and who has just been trying to help. In addition, when this happens… You need to remember one thing Miss Granger." She cocked her head but respectfully not interrupting. "Not everything is as it appears… There are so any twists to this war… that something that may seem so horrid and wrong is truly the only bright light winning the war…."

It shocked her slightly that he would be this open to her, almost like they where not teacher student, not like he was an adult and her a small child. He spoke to her like an equal, almost like a friend.

"Sir… I a not sure I know what you mean? If something is that wrong to be horrid… then how will it ever be okay?" she asked looking down at the Headgirl badge gleaming on her chest.

"That… will be explained in time Miss Granger… Now is neither the place nor right person to know these details just yet…" he spoke shaking his head slightly as he stood, stretching just slightly. His normal frown fitted his lips as he watched her look up to him in a poorly hidden pouty face, "Miss Granger… I am not aloud to speak on this matter… Just know… that when things seem at their worse… they must be that way to make the end of this fight to seem all thee better…" he sighed faintly watching her, his head slightly cocked finishing the joint.

"Professor… Something is going wrong…" she murmured softly, "Please… does it have to do with Harry?"

He snorted softly leaning against the near by frame seeming to forget that he was about to leave. "Not everything is about Potter, Miss Granger… This war is bigger then him alone... this war will have many causality…"

That seemed to click something in her head, she let out a soft gasp, "Something is going to happen with Dumbledore…" She watched as his shoulders sagged slightly in defeat. It had to due with the curse affecting his arm; she knew she had hit the nail on the head.

"I must not speak on it Miss Granger… Just do as I said... keep an open mind, and try to see everything from other views…" He sighed once more as he crawled down the rope latter leaving her to her thoughts as they returned, racing with the ifs and buts of what he meant.

For the first time, Hermione Granger was completely without a reference to what se needed to know. She was lost in what he might have meant or what he could have been saying. What was going to happen? How did it affect the headmaster, and how would that single act change the outcome of the war?

She had more to think about now then she had ever wanted, her eyes flicked down to the joint he had left, it had gone out by itself. Well… it would be a waste to just leave it, she was a Headgirl, and it would be neglectful to leave it where one of the younger students might find it.

Pocketing it, she made her own way to the trap door, after a quick freshening spell on herself and the air she made her way down the ladder.


End file.
